Vatican City, Jul 11, 2005 / 22:00 pm
In a new document released yesterday the Vatican called prostitution a “form of modern day slavery” and an act of violence against women, saying that it gravely violates basic human rights.
The text was the final document of the First International Meeting of Pastoral Care for the Liberation of Women of the Street, which was held in Rome from June 20th to 21st and sponsored by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples.
The new document states that "sexual exploitation, prostitution and trafficking of human beings are all acts of violence against women." As such they "constitute an offence to the dignity of women and are a grave violation of basic human rights."
It continues, saying, "The Church has a pastoral responsibility to promote the human dignity of persons exploited through prostitution and to advocate for their liberation and economic, educational and formative support. The Church must take up the defense of the legitimate rights of women," and "denounce the injustices and violence perpetrated against women wherever and in whatever circumstances this may occur."